What do you do when shocking events happen? I have discovered the practice of asking myself, “what can be learned from this?”

There were straight line winds in Tennessee a few days ago. I don’t watch the news, but people I know lost huge trees. We had our large and heavy cabana blow into our new pool and rip the liner, that had been replaced a couple of weeks ago! Really? Really bad timing!!!

Walking out to secure something, frightened by the intensity of the gusts, I could not believe my eyes. Imagine the catastrophe. For the next 12 hours watching the water level drop and knowing this was a sign of additional possible troubles, it was hard not to be in panic mode. The insurance company was … not helpful. The next morning the pool was emptied with a rented pump and disassembly of the cabana began. Eventually 6 men were able to carry it out and up the steps. Once again, we are loving those steps that span the shallow end for lazing….. or carrying out cabanas. HA!

What Can Be Learned

Amidst trouble there is shock, anxiety, self-pity, and agony. From there we can go to resilience, gratitude, compassion, and relief. Here, we did not lose trees or lives. This was not a tragedy. We won’t be able to swim as early as planned wah wah wah. We are blessed.

The cabana is reassembled and bolted down with the best new hardware. Rock solid. I know that when I asked my husband “what can be learned” new and better hardware is what he had on his mind. I was thinking deeper. The real lesson was to take action, be thankful, be easy on yourself, and don’t ruminate. Let’s practice this more and get better at it!